Day: 18 March 2026

Landmark study shows global gains for girls, but threats to progress loom

Stuart Mitchell

Groundbreaking research from Plan International that has documented girls from birth for eighteen years reveals that globally, girls’ lives have improved significantly over the past two decades but identifies these gains are now at risk with the next wave of challenges approaching. With improved access to education, girls are dreaming bigger and new laws protecting them from child marriage means they have broader choices in shaping their futures. But significant barriers – including widespread gender-based violence and the ever-worsening impacts of climate change – still stand in the way of…

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Leading potato partnership launches spuds from low carbon concept farm in stores

Stuart Mitchell

A FIRST-of-its kind low carbon concept farm in Lincolnshire has successfully grown its first crop of highly sustainable potatoes that will land in UK stores this week, thanks to a partnership between retailer Tesco and industry leader Branston. Established last year in a bid to help farmers and suppliers reach net zero targets with innovative solutions, the low carbon concept farm is yielding successful results. Now 500 tonnes of a customer favourite variety, Georgina, are expected in Tesco stores from 23 February in Tesco Finest British All-Rounder and Baking Potato packs.…

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M&S Partners With Yeyasso Cooperative And Fairtrade To Support Cocoa Farmers In Cote D’lvoire

Stuart Mitchell

M&S is partnering with Yeyasso cooperative through a long-term initiative which will support fairer incomes for cocoa farmers in Cote d’Ivoire, one of its main cocoa sourcing regions in West Africa. The initiative has been developed in partnership with Fairtrade, building on M&S’s commitment to ethically sourced cocoa.   M&S Choc Marks bars are already made with Faitrade cocoa, but this new commitment will go further by providing long-term ‘Fairtrade Premium’ support for Yeyasso. The Fairtrade Premium is an additional payment that goes direct to farmers, who direct the funding…

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U.S. Food Waste Pact Report Shows Less Food Being Wasted In Retail and Foodservice Sectors

Stuart Mitchell

A new report from the U.S. Food Waste Pact (Pact), a collaborative initiative of 30 food businesses across the country led by nonprofits ReFED and World Wildlife Fund, shows reductions in the amount of food being wasted nationwide by grocery retail and foodservice companies in 2024 compared to 2023. The results are good news for the food system, as it tries to address its 60-million-ton food waste problem. This is the second year that Pact signatories have reported these data, with 2023 results serving as the inaugural benchmark for food…

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NERC pivots investment in atmospheric research into new technologies

Stuart Mitchell

NERC is transitioning its funding of atmospheric science infrastructure to exploit more flexible, scalable and sustainable technologies. The Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM), funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and operated by the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS), will cease operations at the end of this financial year. Following review, NERC has concluded that the aircraft no longer offers value for money to the public because of a significant increase in costs and low planned utilisation. Future atmospheric requirements In August 2001, the FAAM was established by NERC, the UK Met Office, and the UK…

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